One's experience with an alliance also depends on the airline one chooses or one's primary FF programme. My experience with Skyteam was better before NW was gobbled up by DL, but it's getting better slowly. In a recent incident in which my baggage was damaged, the airline not only offered a repalcement, but also made a call just to apologise. My wife had answered the call, but the agent insisted that they had to speak with me. I thought they probably wanted more information such as copies of BP, and luggage tags. But all they did was inform me that a check to cover the full amount was on the way and aplogise so profusely, that all thoughts of the damage left me. They are trying hard. I feel that AF is a tougher nut to crack.
Re: The Skyteam website, I agree that it's more a show than anything else. Are OneWorld and Star websites more functional?

I feel that some of them are so insecure that they derive their self esteem from feeling good about their alliance by going to diss or insult another alliance.

I can understand criticising one's alliance if one feels there is a shortcoming. But when one has no stake in an alliance, what motivation is there for doing it?

I suspect, many of them are newbie flyers from countries where flying was and still is neither affordable for the general population, nor as common

I guess it was shortlived excitement- I get an error 404 page not found.

Oh well.

I guess it was a shortlived error. It's fine now.